PSC eyes long-term plans for Philippine Women’s Open

World-class tennis today and beyond will be the vision of the Philippine Sports Commission as it collaborates with the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) for the hosting of the first-ever Philippine Women’s Open later this month.

With an eye for long-term goals, PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said that the investment the agency is putting in hosting the tournament, which included the refurbishment of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, is aimed at bigger plans for the sport locally.

“I still remember a few days after I was appointed last July, one of the first callers was [PHILTA Secretary General] John Rey (Tiangco) and he said, chairman, do you want to host the WTA? And I said, I vividly remember… ‘For how many years?’ That is how we play things in the Philippine Sports Commission,” Gregorio told the media at the Philippine Women’s Open press conference on Tuesday.

“If we can do it [for] the next three years, if we can elevate the WTA tournaments next year, in the next two years, then that's the best approach to [it] for Philippine sports and sports tourism.”

[READ: Philippine Women’s Open flaunts affordable tickets 'for people to come over’]

In the past few weeks, PSC and PHILTA worked with its private and public partners to make sure the venue was primed and ready for top tennis action — marking the first time ever that the country will host a tennis event of that calibre.

Because of short preparation time, organizers have worked overtime, including during the Christmas break in order to get things done by the start of the tournament on January 24.

“You see them really working until the wee hours of the morning. And it's a beautiful transformation,” Gregorio beamed. 

“And if we can do this to develop the other sports and the other sports facilities, that is, that I think is the best way to showcase what we do in sports and how government helps sports,” he added.

The PSC and PHILTA also announced on Tuesday afternoon the ticket prices and ways to watch the action unfurling from January 24 to January 31.

[RELATED: How to buy tickets for first-ever Philippine Women’s Open]

Philippine tennis ace Alex Eala’s participation in the tournament is up in the air depending on her performance in the Australian Open which coincides with the Philippine Women’s Open.

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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.

Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.